Unwell Grelle
by Luigisgirlfriend
Summary: Grelle Sutcliff becomes ill after standing out in the rain for an hour. Rated T just in case. WHY CAN'T I WRITE SUMMARIES. ... Madame Redxbutler!Grelle


**SO I WROTE THIS. Grell is human butler in this story, so I spell it Grelle. It's just a whole lot easier.**

**Grell= Grim reaper**

**Grelle= Butler**

**Don't even ask why.**

**BUT ANYWAYS. **

**GrellexMadame Red. Also a little bit of SebastianxGrelle, but not as much.**

**The plot kind of got away from me towards the end.**

**... Hope you enjoy :3**

"—And you wouldn't believe the horrid dress she was wearing!" Madame Red was gossiping as Sebastian and Ciel walked her to the front entrance. "They didn't match her shoes at all!" Her boisterous laugh reverberated off of the walls.

"Sounds quite dreadful, Madame," Sebastian droned politely as he opened the mansion doors. Madame Red's ornate carriage was pulled up to the manor. Grelle Sutcliff, the Burnett family's timorous and mostly inadequate butler, was standing close to the cart, but not out of the heavy rain. The poor butler was soaked to the bone and quivering like a half-drowned kitten, his skinny arms wrapped closely around himself. His russet hair was flat against his cranium, his ponytail dripping with water.

"Y-Your carriage, my l-lady…" he stammered, his voice tiny in the storm. Madame Red gasped, pressing her hands to her mouth in shock.

"Grelle! How long have you been standing out here?!" she asked.

"… Y-You told me to get your c-carriage," the brunette butler replied.

"That was nearly an hour ago!" Madame Red fretted, wringing her hands uneasily. "You've been standing out in this freezing weather for an hour?! Why didn't you come back inside?"

"I did not wish to interrupt—" his sentence was cut off by a vicious sneeze that just about doubled him over. Madame Red flinched, sauntering daintily over to her butler. She took off her glove and rested her manicured hand on Grelle's flushed face.

"You're burning up…" she muttered. "You are in no shape to drive the carriage back home!" Before Grelle could so much as open his mouth to oppose, Sebastian spoke up.

"Excuse me," the raven-haired butler placed his hand over his chest and bowed ever-so-slightly. "If my master allows me to do so, I could escort the carriage back." Sebastian and Madame Red looked to Ciel for the consent.

"That is fine," Ciel waved his hand idly. "But you must be back before I wake up in the morning."

"Give the order," Sebastian wagged his index finger at Ciel. "I cannot do anything without an—"

"Sebastian, this is an order," Ciel interrupted. "Drive Madame Red's carriage back to her house." The young nobleman glanced towards Grelle, who looked worse than ever. "And take care of Madame Red's butler until he is well."

"Oh, thank you, Ciel!" Madame Red cuddled Ciel for a brief moment, and then did the same to Sebastian. Then she turned back to Grelle. "Now, you get in the carriage before your condition gets any worse!"

"Allow me," Sebastian smiled respectfully, moving to Grelle's side. He scooped the sodden butler into his arms, one arm under the man's knees, the other under his shoulders.

"Beg pardon," Grelle murmured. "I can walk on my own…" But he reached up and draped his arms around Sebastian's slender neck. The demon butler carried the unwell male to the carriage. Madame Red moved ahead and opened the door, anxious to get Grelle out of the rainfall.

Sebastian set Grelle down on the red velvet cushions, making sure the smaller man was comfortable before leaning out of the carriage so Madame Red could get in. The red-clad noblewoman practically pounced in across from Grelle. Sebastian closed the door after her and climbed up to the carriage's bench. He took the horses' reins into his gloved hands and glanced toward Ciel, who was still standing at the mansion doors. The young earl gave a nod before turning and walking back inside.

Sebastian smirked to himself and flicked the reins. The sleek horses whinnied and lurched forward, beginning the trip to Madame Red's residence.

Inside the carriage, Madame Red was nearly beside herself with dread. Grelle was not only still shuddering and sneezing; he was now coughing so hard that he could hardly breathe.

"Here, let's take off your wet coat," Madame Red urged, taking hold of Grelle's drenched sleeves.

"M-My lady," Grelle spoke up quietly, his voice an exhausted wheeze. "I am quite capable…" he stopped to cough harshly. "… Of removing my coat without assistance." Madame Red blushed faintly.

"Yes, I apologize," she released Grelle's sleeves and watched as the butler fumbled with the small buttons on his jacket. After a few unsuccessful attempts, Madame Red leaned forward and undid the clasps with firm fingers that didn't shake like Grelle's.

"Thank you, my lady," Grelle whispered as he slid off his saturated coat. As soon as his jacket had fallen from his shoulders, it was replaced by Madame Red's crimson one. Grelle shrugged his arms into the sleeves, grateful for the warmth.

Madame Red moved over so that she was sitting next to Grelle. She gently slid his rounded glasses off and slipped them into her breast pocket. The lady in red smoothly pulled Grelle down so his head rested in her lap. The butler resisted for a moment, ineffectively trying to salvage a shred of his dignity, but his ill state and desire for warmth caused him to eventually give up, relaxing in Madame Red's lap.

"Try to get some sleep, dear," Madame Red whispered soothingly. "We'll be home shortly." She played with the claret bow in Grelle's hair until the sick man fell asleep. The rattling noise in Grelle's lungs did anything but ease his master. The lady in red sighed, combing her painted nails through her butler's auburn hair. She couldn't stop thinking about how it was her fault that Grelle had had to stand out in the cold for so long. She would never forgive herself if he were to…

The carriage pitched to a stop in front of Madame Red's glorious mansion. The rain had calmed down to a light drizzle by then. Sebastian leapt down from the driver's seat and opened up the carriage door. When he saw the snoozing Grelle, he chuckled softly.

"Shall I have to carry him inside?" the charcoal-haired butler questioned. Without waiting for an answer, Sebastian picked Grelle up, bridal-style. Grelle's left arm was draped across his torso while his right arm dangled over his side. His body was very limp in Sebastian's arms.

"Do be careful with him," Madame Red fussed. "He's not a heavy sleeper."

"But of course," Sebastian smiled. He turned and began carefully striding to the manor. Madame Red closed the carriage door and ran after him. Once they were inside, she led Sebastian to one of the guest rooms. She had been quite opposed to taking Grelle to his own sleeping quarters.

"It's much too messy in there," she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "No, we shall have to let him stay elsewhere."

And so a few minutes later, Grelle was clad in his burgundy plaid pajamas and snuggled under the blankets in a guest bed. Sebastian smoothed the covers over the trembling butler's body.

"…" he turned towards Madame Red, who stood by the door. "Do you have any herbal tea? I believe it would do him some good." Madame Red nodded.

"Yes, I have some chamomile downstairs in the cupboards…" she looked behind herself into the hallway and then back at Sebastian. "Should I go make some…?"

"If it so pleases you," Sebastian bowed slightly. "Of course, being a butler, I could make it. I would usually insist that I make it, but I think it would be better if I stayed in here with Grelle for now."

"Okay… I need something to keep my mind occupied anyway," Madame Red smiled nervously. "I'll go make it. Stay in here with him, alright?"

"Alright," Sebastian bowed just his head this time, bangs falling into his eyes. Madame Red cast one last look at Grelle, bit her lip, and left the room, closing the door silently behind herself. However, less than a second later, she stepped back in.

"Just in case he wakes up," Madame Red handed Sebastian Grelle's glasses. She left again. Sebastian breathed in deeply through his nose and then sighed, setting the circled glasses on the bedside table. He stepped over to the fireplace. In less than a minute, there was a fire blazing in the hearth.

Whether it was caused by the brisk change of temperature in the room or the tang of the fire filling the air, Grelle began to come around. The ailing butler tried to sit up, confusion setting in. His thin arms were much too wobbly, though, and he slouched back under the sheets. The exertion left him gasping for breath and wheezing.

"M-My lady…" Grelle rasped before coughing. Sebastian strode to the side of the bed. He plucked Grelle's bifocals from the bedside desk and carefully rested them over the other's golden eyes. Grelle blinked tiredly up at his fellow butler.

"Oh, Sebastian…" he smiled drowsily. "I think… I'm quite unwell."

"Yes, I noticed," Sebastian smiled back, a little frigidly. "Madame Red is bringing you some tea and—"

"Is she making the kind I like…?" Grelle interrupted softly. Sebastian sighed in frustration.

"I do not enjoy being interrupted," he chided, not unkindly. "She said she was making some chamomile, but—"

"Chamomile," Grelle hummed softly. Sebastian held back a growl, restraining himself from slapping the younger one.

"Perhaps you need some more sleep," he pressed the back of his gloved hand against Grelle's ashen cheek. "Your fever has not yet broken… And you look absolutely sickly. I fear you might have caught something worse than the common cold."

"You care…"

Sebastian's red eyes met Grelle's tawny gaze. The coldness in his countenance melted away when he saw the trust in the sick one's glazed eyes. The demon butler couldn't bring himself to tell Grelle that he was only working under orders.

"Yes… Yes, I suppose I care," he uttered. It was then that Madame Red bustled back in, carrying a tray with a cup of tea and a bagel on it.

"Oh, goody, he's awake!" she beamed. "I was afraid the tea would get cold if it wasn't drank right away!" Her flamboyantly noisy voice caused Grelle to wince.

"Loud…" the butler's breath came with difficulty. Madame Red pursed her lips, looking concerned.

"Please do try to keep your voice lowered," Sebastian took the tray from Madame Red. "Mister Grelle is rather sensitive to loud noises at the moment." Madame Red nodded, hurrying over to help Sebastian.

"Here, sit up, dear," she urged softly as she grabbed Grelle's arm and helped him sit up. The chocolate-haired butler leaned against the bed's backboard, taking deep, rattling breaths.

"Pneumonia," Sebastian suddenly said as he poured some tea into the teacup. "That's what it appears to be, anyway."

"Will he get better…?" Madame Red fretted, brushing Grelle's hair with her hands.

"Eventually, yes," Sebastian nodded as he pressed the teacup into Grelle's quaking hands. "It might take some time, though. He just needs some proper treatment."

"You mean… Like, in a hospital?" Madame Red inquired.

"It would be very unwise to transport him in his condition," Sebastian cleared his throat. "No, I can treat him from here." He looked down at Grelle, who was having difficulty drinking his tea due to his jerky motions, which caused the warm liquid to slosh over the sides of the teacup. The demon butler took the cup away and held it to Grelle's mouth, tilting it so the other could take a drink. Grelle gratefully sipped the lukewarm tea, not pushing it away until the cup was empty.

"You can treat him from here?" Madame Red looked doubtful. "Are you quite sure you're just a butler?" Sebastian smirked as he set the vacant teacup down on the tray.

"I am merely one devil of a butler," he responded humbly. His garnet eyes shifted to Grelle. The energy it took to sit up had undoubtedly drained the already weak chap. Sebastian checked Grelle's temperature.

"Has it gone down at all?" Madame Red took out her pink handkerchief and worriedly dabbed at the sweat on her butler's brow that the fever had produced.

"A bit, but not enough to make a sufficient difference" Sebastian heaved a sigh. "Not to worry, though." He looked at Madame Red. "My treatment will take care of him. I… Ask that you leave the room, Madame. I request to perform my treatment in private."

"Well… Okay then," Madame Red backed up towards the door. "I'll be in the drawing room. Be sure to call down if you need something."

"I will be sure to," Sebastian smiled. "Don't worry. He will be fine." Madame Red nodded and slowly left the room. Sebastian waited until her footsteps faded down the hallway before he turned to Grelle.

"This won't hurt," he assured. "Although I can't promise it won't feel odd." The demon butler bit into the wrist of his glove, his eyes glowing neon pink. He pulled the glove off with his teeth and let it fall to the floor. The crucifix covenant on the back of his hand glowed the same color as his eyes.

"My orders were both to make you well again and to be back to my master before daybreak tomorrow," the demon butler explained. "Now, I couldn't do that without a little help from my powers, could I?"

Grelle whimpered quietly, sliding down under the blankets and pulling them over his face. The lack of oxygen reaching him caused him to cough harder than before, the phlegm clogging his airways. Sebastian sighed.

"Don't be so stubborn," he pulled the covers off of the near-suffocating male. "You're only making it harder on yourself." The demon butler smiled. "Let's begin, shall we?"

* * *

Sebastian walked down the stairs, licking blood off of his fingers. Before he turned the corner into the sitting room, he tugged his gloves back on.

"Oh, Sebastian! Is Grelle okay? Did you fix him up?" Madame Red was instantly on her feet, asking questions. Sebastian smiled dazzlingly.

"It might take a few days for him to get back on his feet—he will be awfully worn-out from the treatment—but he will recover just fine," the demon butler bowed down on one knee.

"Oh, that's great news!" Madame Red tugged Sebastian to his feet and hugged him. "Thanks so much! I don't think I can ever repay you!"

"Payment is not desired," Sebastian assured. "It was my pleasure to help." When Madame Red had pulled away, Sebastian whipped out his fob watch, checking the time. "I had better head back to Phantomhive Manor now before it gets too dark."

"Feel free to borrow the carriage," Madame Red offered with a smile. Sebastian returned the smile, chuckling.

"That will not be required," he turned and walked to the door. "Good night, Madame Red." And he was gone.

* * *

"Grelle?" Madame Red whispered, peeking her head into the guest room. Grelle was lying down on his side, facing the entry. His canary-colored eyes were closed, indicating that he was fast asleep. His inhalations were deep and lengthy, all signs of his prior infirmity gone. His skin was a healthy pinkish tint. His glasses were neatly folded and set aside on the table. Madame Red smiled softly.

"Sleep well, Grelle," she said quietly before closing the door, leaving the bushed butler to rest in peace.

**Such OOC.**

**Much bad plot.**

**w0w.**

**I don't even know what Sebastian did. Use your imaginations :3**

**...**

**Well, that's all, I suppose.**

**Bye-bye~!**


End file.
